A number of prior art arrangements are known for automatically dispensing and teeing golf balls. Such arrangements, however, are generally characterized by their relative complexity. Also, some operational reliability problems exist, particularly with regard to golf ball jamming. Typically golf balls in such devices are dispensed from a hopper containing a plurality of golf balls and jamming can and does occur as individual balls exit the hopper. While anti-jamming mechanisms have been devised, the effectiveness thereof is not all one might wish.
The following United States patents illustrate golf ball dispenser devices which are believed to be representative of the current state of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,296, issued Sep. 18, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,339, issued Oct. 17, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,130, issued Oct. 7, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,325, issued Apr. 29, 1997, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,805, issued Jul. 15, 1997.